The Tales of Three Demigods
by Adamus
Summary: -Summary To Come-
1. I

_A/N: So! This is my first fanfiction!  
I hope that whoever reads this likes it, and although I update pretty slow I hope that those who are interested in this story stick with it! _

_Reviews are nice.  
I'm just being honest... _

_heh._

* * *

**THE TALES OF**  
**THREE DEMIGODS**  
(fanfiction)

**PART I **  
LINUS

**I**

He hadn't always been a hero, that much was obvious. If someone were to take a look at Linus McArtiel before all the saving the world from a certain perral business, they'd laugh and say he could never be the guy in shining armor. Not that he would wear armor anyway, but still.  
More than that, he was troublesome kid. He could barely read, had a hard time mastering concentration, and if one were to count how many times he had been caught stealing from the local candy shop, they'd be amazed at how many times he _hadn't_ gotten caught.  
Yes, that was Linus... before he was dragged away to a camp for freaks and was sent on a quest that led to his death, that is.  
The saying is true, demigods _don't _live very long.

This the story of the life and death of a demigod who truly wasn't worth a dime. Before the dear Perceus Jackson, the real star of the Prophecy of Seven, there was the poor kid who was a misconception.

* * *

"Get back here, McArtiel!" Roger shouted as he skidded around a corner, "What're you gonna' do, run forever?"

Roger, to put it in simple terms, was a bully. He was always were Linus was, breathing down his neck at every turn. The boy was predictable though, and he had chased Linus around enough times in their lives that other kid knew how to beat him.  
He didn't look back as he flung himself into another alley, he didn't need to. But when relying on the sound of sloshing footsteps in the road sludge behind him to tell him how far Roger was, Linus wished he was more of a fighting type. Running was getting bothersome.  
Too much work.

"Just have to wait until you get tired!" He shouted back, the words barely having enough time to escape his lips before he needed another breath of air. His lungs hurt and were screaming for him to take a second of rest, but there was no way Linus was giving Roger the chance to give him yet another black eye. One was bad enough, too would make him look like a complete dunce. . . like that stupid kid named Sammy who was in Linus's old school.  
He didn't want to be the next Sammy.

Taking a second to glance behind him, Linus was shocked to see that Roger wasn't even breaking a sweat.  
He should at least be _somewhat_ tired by now, right? He had been leading him around the neighbord for so long he had already set up a pathway he was following with every round.  
There was the fruit stand again, after that would be the book store, and then after that would be the clothing market. Five times today, probably, had he seen that same green sweater hanging out by the window.  
Roger should be tripping over his feet wheasing like an overweight hog, not sprinting like a fox.

"What? You scared, McArtiel?" The boy laughed, easily jumping over a wooden carton filled with apples, "It's just a game of tag!"  
_Until you punch my face in._ Linus thought, focusing back to what was infront of him. He needed just a few more minutes...  
There!  
Linus took a sharp turn left and bolted down into yet another alleyway. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of the plan before, it would have been so much easier than fleeing for nearly half an hour.  
Quickly as he could, he climbed the fire-escape attached to a red brick building that led up to the rooftop and dashed for the emergency escape door that would lead him inside.  
"You must really be getting desperate, huh?" He heard Roger shout, seconds later his words were followed by the clanging of boots against the metal stairs.  
_ Just two more minutes. _Linus pleaded silently, snatching his set of keys from his coat pocket. He tried three of them before he finally got the right one.  
Swinging open the door, Linus hopped inside, slammed it shut, and quickly locked it.

"Try getting me now, dirtface." Linus muttered, letting out a relieved breath of air. His legs giving away beneath him, Linus slumped down on the cheap carpet and closed his eyes. _So close from becoming dog chow._ He thought, _Stop getting yourself in stupid situations, me. _  
Stupid situations seemed to come natural to him, though. No matter how much he tried _not_ to be a blockhead, something always came up that made him look like a no-good numskull, running for his life. Sure, he was bad at reading. Yeah, he wasn't the best kid in his class, and he wasn't going to lie about his awesome pickpocketing skills, but he wasn't a complete idiot.  
He had talents!  
And yet, there was always Roger Glummingway knocking him down whenever he tried to do something useful. Take today, for example. He had been trying to help Mrs. Doony at the flower shop when big ol' Glummingway marched in and broke an expensive looking vase. He blamed it on Linus, naturally. The kid was standing only four feet away and it was easy.  
Not to help, Mrs. Doony believed Roger and shooed Linus away in less than a heartbeat. _Five _good dollars he could have earned, gone. Down the drain. Flushed in the toilet.  
Stupid Roger.

"You doin' okay there, boy?" A familiar woman's voice asked, breaking Linus's thoughts.  
Linus opened his eyes to see a curly brown haired lady wearing a light grey jacket and bright purple boots, and her bright smile was the same as he remembered it.  
"I thought I heard a hord of elephants up on the roof and I thought to myself, _it's probably just Linus again, better go let him in._ and then I walked all the way up the stairs and remembered I gave you your own set of keys." The woman chuckled, "I'm not even that old and already my mind is deserting me! Ain't that funny?"  
Linus gave a half hearted smile on got up from the cold carpet, "That was nice of you, Mrs. Rivers."  
The lady waved her hand, "You know you can call me Eleanor. Mrs. Rivers is so formal and there's no need to address me by that name. Who am I? The queen of England?" Eleanor laughed, turning around to go back down the stairs.  
"Come with me, Linus. There's a fresh pot of tea boiled and Henry doesn't want any of it. Such a lazy man, he is. Don't know why I married him! He's a pathetic bus driver, too."  
Linus followed her, "You've been married for forty years and you don't know why?" he said, raising an eyebrow.  
Eleanor shrugged, "Nah, 'course I love him. You know, you're very own mother gave us my favorite wedding present. Oh my goodness, the thing must have been so expensive and I don't know how she ever managed to pay for it. And you know what? I _lost _the thing! Uhg, can't remember if I sold it or if it's behind the couch. Henry would know, my good man. Can't tie his shoes but his brain ain't failing."  
Linus frowned, "She probably stole it, you know." he pointed out. All he remembered of his mother was her bringing home ridiculously expensive looking items, stuff they didn't even need let alone could ever pay for, and telling him not to tell his friends.  
Itching hands was what she had called it, a bad habit was Linus' term.  
Unfortunately, as already stated, Linus had a strong case of 'itching hands' as well.

"Ah, probably. Her and your dad were partners in thievery, they were! Travelers and enemies to shopping markets, always having fun. Then your mom had you and-"  
"And my dad left."  
Eleanor glanced back at him and nodded, "You know the rest of the story from there, no point in retelling it, I suppose."  
Linus furrowed his eyebrows, "Why _do_ you think he left?"  
Eleanor shrugged, "I dunno, Linny, lots of reasons. Money is tough to come by, families are expensive to take care of. Some men just don't want the work and the women need to step up and claim both jobs to pay for it."  
"He was a jerk."  
"Don't go saying that! Your father was one of the nicest men I've met. I'd have traded Henry for him if I could, but the age gap would've raised questions." Eleanor chuckled again as she opened the door to her apartment, "Your mother loved him dearly."  
Linus huffed, "Look where that got her."  
"Don't go resenting a man you've never met, Linny. What happened to your mom wasn't his fault, and you know that very well." Eleanor scolded, holding the door open for the boy and then walking to the kitchen.  
Linus sighed, "I know."  
But that was exactly it. His father was a man that he never met, a man that who had left his mother searching for him, a man that obviously didn't care.

"Now c'mon, sunny. The tea'll get cold if we keep chatting."

* * *

"What took you so long to get back, Linus?" She asked as the boy swung shut the heavy wooden door.  
The building he had just entered was known as the Earnistons Home for Children, which was run by Jean Earniston and her husband Rupert, and was basically the go-to place for kids who didn't have anywhere in particular to go at the end of the day.  
Earnistings Home was where Linus lived.  
"I was just out talking to Mrs. Rivers for a bit." Linus called back, shrugging off his jacket, "She invited me to stay for some tea and bread. Henry says hi, too."  
In a short second, the pale skinned black haired Jean bounced up the stairs and greeted Linus with a smile,  
"Mrs. Rivers, huh? You lucky duck, and I bet you're all full now too, huh? The kids _just_ finished Ruperts home made cherry pie, though. . ."  
Linus grinned, "Lucky me."  
Rupert had never been a very good baker.  
Jean smirked, "Go and have some pie, Linus. We've got some serious things to discuss when you're done."  
Linus glanced at her as he pulled off his boots, "What kind of serious?"  
"Ms. Hedge and Mrs. Doony called. Again." Jean stated, though her tone was normal the words were sharp as blades.  
His shoulders fell, "Oh."

"So you gonna' tell me why you did it?" Jean asked, her grey eyes digging into Linus with such force that he felt uncomfortable just sitting by her.  
She was referring to why he had stolen that shirt from Ms. Hedge's clothes shop, and the answer was something that Linus didn't know.  
He didn't need a new shirt, and the one he had snagged wasn't even his style. So why had he taken it? Why had he stuffed it into his schoolbag and ran off?  
"Because I could." He answered plainly.  
Jean frowned and leaned back in her seat, "And that's it?"  
The boy sitting across from her nodded. It may or may not have been a lie, but it wasn't like it was completely unbelievable. Linus had stolen countless things in the past for the sheer sensation of knowing that just simply _could_. Who was to stop him? No one.  
Yet, at other times, his fingers would randomly choose and object and the next thing he knew he was walking home with it. He didn't know why, but it happened, and that was that.  
Jean buried her face in her hands for a few seconds before looking at him again,  
"Linus, this whole organization I've got going on has a bigger purpose than just giving kids like you a place to stay. Do you know what that purpose is?"  
Linus shook his head.  
"It's so you all get _help_. I'm not allowed to let a bunch of strays and runaways make their home here if I don't help them make better of their situation." Jean explained, her voice sounding sad, "You've been here since you were just a little kid, Linus. Your stay has been the longest out of everyone here by far, and you haven't changed in the least-"  
"You're going to make me leave." Linus realized suddenly, sitting up in his chair, "That's what this is about, isn't it?"  
"Sit back down, please."  
"Tell me."  
". . . Yes, sort of. But I have another place in mind that I think you'll like-"  
"How could you?!"  
Six years, since he was eight years old. That was how long he had been at Earnistons Home for _Troubled _Children. If he had any other place to call home, any other lifestyle to live, then he would have already been gone.  
"I'm not saying it has to be be right away, but I got a letter yesterday saying that you've been here too long and-" Jean tried to explain, but once again Linus cut her off.

"I'm too much trouble, aren't I?" He said, his voice faltering, "I bet that's it. The truth is you just don't want to be responsible for me anymore."  
Jean watched him through sad eyes, "Linus, you're like a son to me, and you know that I would never do this to you if I didn't have to, but about this place-"  
"Then _adopt me_!" Linus shouted at her, "You keep saying how I'm like your very own kid and all this and that, but how come you haven't adopted me yet? No one else is going to!"  
"You know I won't do that."  
"Because you don't care."  
"Because I _can't_." Jean snapped at him, her voice in such a tone that ignicated the angry boy to remain silent, "This is all way to complicated for you to understand, Linus. Adoptions are expensive and you know that I don't have that kind of money! Plus, where would you stay? Here, sharing a room with four other kids still? I can't have you do that any longer."  
"I'll be sleeping on the sidewalk if you don't." Linus remarked.  
"No, you're going to-"  
"Stop trying to send me away!"


	2. II

_A/N: Hello again! _

_In this chapter, there's a new character! Yay!  
He's a storm spirit, just so you know, and he's going to be Linus's companion on his upcoming quest._

* * *

**THE TALES OF**  
**THREE DEMIGODS**  
(fanfiction)

**PART I **  
LINUS

**II**

Linus didn't like getting angry. He would get upset at Gina, yell at Mark, and sometimes argue with Brandon, but actually being full on _mad_?  
It took a lot to trigger the worst of the boys temper.

Unfortunetely, getting kicked out of the only place he saw as home was one of those triggers.

He didn't even let Jean explain before he stormed out of the home that he had lived in for the previous years of his life. What did it matter now, anyway? She was going to make him leave sooner or later. Might as well go on his own decision instead of being booted out.

As Linus slammed the door behind him and flew down the stone stairs, he wondered if Jean knew that he didn't intend on coming back. She wanted him gone, right?  
She probably didn't even care.

He could live with Mrs. Rivers and Henry, or perhaps he could find his friend Deon and ask if he could stay at his place for awhile. Normally when Linus ran away, he wound up right back with the Earnistings, but not this time.

This time around he was going to show that if Jean wanted him gone, then gone he would be.  
No turn arounds, no apologizes, _gone_. He could feed from the dumpsters and live in the alleyways.  
Yeah, that sounded... good.

He had been so consumed in his thoughts that the boy didn't realize that it had begun to rain. His clothes and hair were soaked by the time he clued back to reality. By that time he was in the main part of the city and with it being a Sunday, more than half of the shops were closed and therefore he couldn't rely on them for shelter.  
What a terrible day it had been.

As he walked, Linus wondered if his actions from earlier had been a bit too... rushed. Jean had tried to explain to him what she was planning, he had gotten mad, and then _boom! _ he marched out because he didn't want to deal with the situation.  
Was that really why?  
Leaving because he couldn't handle something sounded a bit pathetic, to be honest. The boy stopped walking and glowered down at one of the rain puddles by his feet. Running from things was what cowards did.  
Wait, no, not cowards.  
Quitters.

Linus was on the verge of turning around and barging right back to the Earnistings to prove that he _wasn't_ a quitter, pathetic, or even a coward, but that was when he realized that he actually was.  
But Jean didn't want him anyway. She was probably planning to ship him off somewhere, maybe to that hectic new Wilderness School some kids had been talking about.  
He couldn't go there, not after the things he heard about it.  
If Jean wasn't going to let him stay, then the best solution was to leave his 'family', live in a box somewhere, and be able to stay in familiar grounds instead of getting sent to whatever godforsaken place was awaiting him.

His parents may have been travellers, but all Linus had ever wanted to do was stay where he knew how things worked.

_What kind of son are you?_ A voice hissed at him, causing the boy to snap his eyes up from his relfection in the puddle and look around.  
Linus blinked. "...Excuse me?"  
_Bah! You're definitely the wrong one... where's your spirit? Your enthusiasm? I might as well just be wasting my time on you for all your worth! Seriously, you're like a stupid faun or something. Wake up! _ The voice hissed again, this time sounding more annoyed than angry.  
While trying to pinpoint where whoever was speaking was, Linus managed out another set of words,  
"Wrong one for what? Who are you?" he demanded, clenching his fists in anger. What the heck did this person want?  
If it was money they were after, he didn't have any.  
_There it is! There it is!_ The voice cheered, now seemingly delighted, _Oh, you just might put up a fight after all, little hero! Man, and here I was thinking you'd be dead before I got the chance to do anything!_  
"You want me to fight?" Linus repeated, lowering an eyebrow, "But I-"  
_Relfex!_ The voice said, it's voice sounding shrill as the boy was suddenly knocked to the ground by a gust of wind.  
_Ooh. Too slow. Try again?_

Linus got back on his feet and scowled at the rain that was pouring down around him, "Where _are_ you?!" He called out, not seeing a single soul walking along the streets. "Tell me!"  
_You mean you don't know what I... ah, nevermind. _The voice sighed, it's excitment dropping from the tone.

Out of thin air, a boy around Linus's age -maybe older- appeared before him. His hair was cut short with the colour of light blond, and his eyes were grey and looked as if the iris's were actually moving.  
"You just..." Linus's voice faltered when he tried to speak.  
The boy grinned, "Surprised? Of course you are, it's typical." he said rather proudly, folding his arms over his chest, "Anwho hero-boy, I've got orders to kill you and after this some other kid, but seriously I'd love to stay and chat if you weren't going to be dead in a few minutes."  
Linus narrowed his eyes, "I don't understand."  
The boy groaned, "Oh come _on!_ I'm here to murder you, what's not to get? Get it through your head and say your last words, no one else does this so you better be thankful to me when you're down in the Underworld."

"You're... what? A magician?" Linus asked, raising an eyebrow, apparently completely ignoring what the other boy was telling him.  
Death, that was great. But how'd he show up like that?  
The boy shot Linus a deadpan expression, "I'm a storm spirit, an _Anemoi Thuellai_ or _Venti_ depending on which you prefer." he stated while waving his hand, "Can you, like, try to fight now or something? Where's your weapon?"

"I don't have one."

"Oh, well that's _great_."

"... it'll be easier to kill me if I can't fight, right?" Linus offered, wondering why the... what has the boy called himself? _Anemoi Thuellai_? _Venti_? Whatever he was, Linus wondered why he had sounded so upset about him not having a weapon, when just seconds before he had been ranting about killing him.

The boy tapped his chin, "I suppose... it won't be as much fun though. Maybe I should come back another time, when you've equipted yourself with a sword..."

"What's your name?" Linus blurted out, truly curious.  
_Anemoi Thuellai_ or something else, the kid was obviously some sort of magician. Perhaps he had a famous show-name or something, maybe Linus would recognize it.

The storm spirit casted a sideways glance at him. His expression looked slightly surprised with a small mix of relief, as if he was happy to stall, "I go by many names, hero-boy. Stating all of them is too much of a hassle."

"Okay, well... which do you prefer?"  
Definitely a magician.

The storm spirit thought for a moment before he spoke, "Daniel, then. I was called that back in the 1500's or so, haven't used that title for quite some time! It has a nice ring to it, don't you agree? _Daniel_... catchy."

Linus nodded slowly, "So, about that killing me thing...? Are you still up for that?"

Daniel's grey eyes flickered white for a second, and at the same time the boy shrugged, "Maybe some other time, actually." he said, scanning carefully around him for a quick second, "Truth be told, I'm not very good at handling the dirty work." he admitted, looking a bit disappointed in himself as he spoke the words.  
"Let's pretend you died, hm? It's a win-win situation."

Linus stared at Daniel. His brain was beginning to hurt from trying to figure the guy out, but really it felt impossible.  
What was he even talking about, anyway? He had shoved Linus to the ground, threatened to kill him, ramble on about names, and now he was proposing the idea of pretending Linus was dead?  
It was a nice offer, but a rather confusing one as well.

"Uh, okay."

Daniel let out a breath of relief, "Oh thank the gods! Even if you disagreed, I wouldn't have killed you anyway, though. As lame and lanky as you might seem, I'd rather have you as Zeus's warrior instead of you moping around somewhere in the Underworld."

Linus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "What?"

"Must I explain everything to you? Really, hero-boy, this is just pathetic now. Do you know how annoying it is to be standing in the rain and talking to someone like they're three? This is hard work for me, the least you could do is pay attention!" Daniel snapped, his eyes flashing white again.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I just-"

"Shut up." Daniel said suddenly, his whole body tensing as if he had just seen a ghost.  
Linus eyes him curiously, "What do you-"  
"Linus, I said _shut up_." Daniel hissed. As soon as the words left his mouth the storm spirit disappeared into thin air, leaving the remaining boy alone on the sidewalk.

By this time, Linus decided that he obviously had somehow gotten knocked unconsious and was now living in some sort of dream land. What else could have happened?  
Dreaming... yes, that's what he was doing. He'd wake up soon, and then he'd go back to Jean and apologize because he really didn't want this to happen again.

_We're leaving, come on._ Daniels voice snapped at him as a gust of wind pushed him backwards.  
Linus fought back against the force and refused to budge, "What do you mean _we_?"  
_I'm trying to save you from being eaten alive. If you'd like to question me, then please feel free to stay where you are and I'll come back once you're dead. _

Linus froze. Eaten? Alive?  
What kind of things ran through his head to make him dream of all this?

"Can I ask where we're going?"  
_To a place where you won't die._  
"...Okay."


End file.
